A NEW VISION FOR PEACE

Transcription

1 A NEW VISION FOR PEACE Hyun Jin Moon Speeches at the Global Peace Festivals 2008

2 ii GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL

3 A New Vision For Peace Hyun Jin Moon Global Peace Festival Foundation New York

4 iv GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL Published in the United States of America by: Global Peace Festival Foundation 155 White Plains Road, Suite 222 Tarrytown, NY USA Copyright 2009 by the Global Peace Festival Foundation All rights reserved. Except for use in reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise, without prior written consent of the publisher. Moon, Hyun Jin One Family Under God A GPFF Publication ISBN

5 CONTENTS UNITED STATES 9 The Greatest Dream of all One Nation Under God to One Family Under God. God s Dream and the Christian Mission A True Family is the Model for Peace Service Uplifts Human Dignity Peace Among the World s Religions Call to action: Looking Ahead NA IR O B I, KENYA 19 The origin of the Human Family and a new vision for Peace God s Dream and the fulfillment of the Christian Mission A True Family is the Model for Peace A New Future for Africa The Importance of Service Working for Religious Reconciliation Call to Action ULAANBAATAR, MONGOLIA 31 The need for a new vision A True Family is the Model for Peace The Spiritual History of the Mongol Empire Carrying on the legacy How Nations Become Great Building A Culture of Service Working for Religious Reconciliation The biggest dream of all

6 6 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL OTTAWA, CANADA 43 A True Family is the Model for Peace A New Culture of Service and Peace Working for Religious Reconciliation KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA 48 A True Family is the Model for Peace A New Culture of Service and Peace Working for Religious Reconciliation SEOUL, KOREA 54 TOKYO, JAPAN 61 The Impact of GPF The need for a new vision The True Family Model for Peace Interfaith efforts for Peace Japan and the Culture of Service Call to Action LONDON,ENGLAND 68 The need for a new vision The True Family Model for Peace A New Interfaith Effort for Peace Britain and the Culture of Service Call to Action BRASILIA, BRAZIL 74 The Dream of God The True Family Model for Peace A New Interfaith Effort for Peace

7 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 7 Brazil and the Culture of Service Call to Action MANILA, PHILIPPINES 82 The Dream of God Christianity and the modern Era The Asia Pacific Era. The True Family Model for Peace A New Interfaith Effort for Peace The Culture of Service Call to Action The Global Peace Convention

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9 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 9 United States US Capitol August 9, 2008 It is my pleasure and honor to stand with you today in front of the U.S. Capitol with the memorials of great Americans like Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln bearing witness to our efforts. It is a breathtaking view and I feel we stand on hallowed ground, where the past and the present can align to build a greater tomorrow for all Americans and all of our neighbors throughout the world. This mall commemorates the sacrifices of men and women who served the cause of freedom and paid the ultimate price on foreign shores. The world owes a great debt to this nation and the brave and selfless young Americans who were willing to oppose any foe and pay any price for the American dream and its founding principles. These grounds have also been the venue for that rare brand of oratory that stirs men and women s souls and moves their hearts. Just forty eight years ago, newly elected President John F. Kennedy challenged all Americans to ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country. He launched a bold new peace initiative, the Peace Corps, inspiring subsequent generations with a culture of global service. Three years later, at the height of the civil rights struggle, a young, courageous Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his passionate speech, I Have A Dream. He yearned for the day when the

10 10 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL children of all races would be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. Citing the Declaration of Independence, that all men are created equal and entitled to inalienable rights endowed by their Creator, King said that the struggle for civil rights was not just a Black struggle for equality but a timeless ideal rooted in the American Dream. Thirteen years later a then relatively unknown Korean spiritual leader delivered a message to more than 300,000 Americans, declaring that the American Dream was not a dream for America alone, but for all the people of the world. That man was none other than my father, the Reverend Dr. Sun Myung Moon. I would like to share with you a prophetic statement he made that night over three decades ago: The United States of America, transcending race and nationality, is already a model of the unified world. She must realize that the abundant blessings which God has been pouring upon this land are not just for America, but are for the children of God throughout the world. Upon the foundation of world Christianity, America must exercise her responsibility as a world leader and the chosen nation of God. The Greatest Dream of all As a proud son, I am filled with deep emotion as I stand here before you today. I was seven years old and in the audience when my father delivered this prophetic message. I believe my life, as well as that of my family, has come full circle as we gather once again on this hallowed ground to awaken this nation to fulfill its providential calling and lead the world to peace.

11 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 11 For, I can tell you as surely as the sun will rise, that those words did not fall upon deaf ears that historic night long ago, but stirred the hearts and the imagination of a new generation of leaders, dedicated to realizing a truly universal and global expansion of the American Dream. We are heirs to that prophecy. Ladies and Gentlemen, we are at a crossroads. Throughout the world and at home, there is a growing anxiety in the air, stemming from one crisis after another. The global war against terror has fundamentally changed the way we, Americans, live. We are in a constant state of uncertainty, compounded by an economic downturn, rising energy and food costs and the collapse of our financial institutions. Add to that the massive devastation from natural disasters in New Orleans, Florida and California and it seems all the power and might that America can muster will not keep us safe. There are those who might be looking towards the presidential elections in November to fix the problems of our nation and the world. However, the solution to our national and global quandary cannot be solved by one man, party or administration. It is far too complex to be addressed in the same old political, economic, diplomatic or even military manner of the past. We definitely need change but not for the sake of change. The world needs leadership and America could provide it if it had a universal vision which could inspire and unite the human family. One Nation Under God to One Family Under God. Let us be bold and dare tonight to dream big! Let us dream the greatest dream of all! I want to share with you a new vision for America. It is a vision rooted in our nation s founding principles, a vision that exalts the ideal of one NATION under God and then

12 12 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL takes it one step further into a greater, more universal ideal, of One FAMILY under God. It is a dream for all Americans and all people of faith. And most of all, I firmly believe that it is God s vision for humanity. Let us reflect, for a moment, on the birth of our nation in 1776, when thirteen rag-tag colonies announced their independence from the colonial yoke of Great Britain. It must have been a moment of great pain, anxiety and exhilaration, for those who signed the Declaration of Independence knew very well what their fate would be if they had failed. The amazing thing about the Declaration is the deeply spiritual rhetoric and the clear reference to God, or the Creator, as the true source of human dignity and intrinsic rights. I believe that same Declaration of Independence remains the most important document of our modern era. Although it was a secular document, it was leavened with spiritual undertones which evoked a prayerful yearning to establish a new land committed to principles upon which One Nation could be created under God. Thus, it carried a profound spiritual authority and became the basis, I believe, of a new covenant with God. That covenant was rooted in the biblical promise first made to Israel in the book of Isaiah. True to that prophecy, America invited all of God s children to come and worship Him according to the dictates of their conscience. Although predominantly a Christian nation, America was the first nation on earth committed to universal spiritual values. It was the first nation to champion religious freedom and human rights, regardless of denomination, faith, nationality, ethnicity, and race.

13 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 13 America became a pluralistic melting pot, representing how the world could live in harmony under a national vision rooted in the sovereignty of God. Of course, there have been times when America has not fully lived up to its founding ideals. But at its best, America represents the hopes and aspirations of all God-affirming people around the world. God s Dream and the Christian Mission The power of this vision goes all the way back to the very beginning of human history. Just as we have big aspirations and hopes for our children, so too did God have great expectations for humanity. God wanted His children to create a true family which could be the school of true love, true life and true lineage. It would have been God s family where He would dwell as the true parent of all mankind. Yet, this dream was not realized. And therefore, God had waited patiently throughout human history, often in agony and lamentation, for someone to realize His unfilled dream. 2,000 years ago, a young carpenter s son, Jesus Christ, went beyond the traditions of his own people, referring to God as his Father and embracing all humanity as his brothers and sisters. Jesus taught a selfless, compassionate love, the need for individual spiritual responsibility, the promise of universal salvation, and the need to create the family of God. Tragically Jesus life was cut short and the new wine he was to bring was unfortunately poured into less-than-new wine skins. Yet, his legacy and message lived on through the foundation of world Christianity.

14 14 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL It wasn t until the modern era with the founding of the United States that the true, universal spirit of Christianity took root. Instead of espousing any one faith or denomination, Americans have enjoyed the freedom to follow the dictates of their conscience, with the hope of creating a nation united under the sovereignty of God. This became the basis of the American dream in building One Nation under God. The dream to create One Family under God did not end with Jesus. It remained latent within the Christian message, waiting for someone to rekindle Jesus universal and global mission. My father, the Reverend Dr. Sun Myung Moon, has devoted his entire life to the fulfillment of that mission. He uprooted his family and invested thirty four years of his life to awaken America to its providential calling. To my father, the dream of building One Family under God is not just the dream of one man, one woman or one family but the dream of all humanity and, most of all, the dream of God. A True Family is the Model for Peace The message whose time has come for this age is One Family Under God. Why a family? First, the family is universal. Regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality and religion, we are all members of families. Secondly, the family represents the most intimate of relationships. When we feel close to someone, we use familial terms, saying that person is like my father, my mother, my brother, my sister. In the family we learn to love humanity in all its richness and diversity. Before we call ourselves Christian, Muslim, or Jew, before we see ourselves as black, white, or Asian, before we identify ourselves

15 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 15 as Korean, Brazilian or American, we are first and foremost the eternal sons and daughters of God. We are all members of His eternal family. This is the starting point to realize the dream of creating One Family under God, one family at a time. Service Uplifts Human Dignity Ladies and Gentlemen, last month at the Global Peace Festival in Paraguay more than 10,000 high school and college students spent several weeks cleaning every park in the capital city of Asunción. Senators, congressmen, priests and community leaders were astonished, saying this level of public service had never been part of their culture, especially among the young. I am pleased to tell you that here in Washington DC, the Global Peace Festival has also been spearheading a remarkable service effort. Over the past few weeks, schools have been cleaned and painted, children have been mentored and parks and playgrounds made safe. We ve received generous donations of food enough to feed over a thousand families. To all who participated in these acts of service and kindness, and in particular to the Points of Light Institute, Boys and Girls Clubs, Service for Peace and the other organizations who pulled it together, I want to say a heartfelt Thank You! There is something deeply spiritual in serving others. It is not something we should do only for a day, a month or even a year. It has to become a way of life. When living for the sake of others becomes a habit, we come to see the true value God places on all human beings. Building upon America s great tradition of volunteerism, I d like to see our nation s faith-based and community partners joining with those of other countries to establish a Global Peace Corps that will

16 16 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL be more than just an American effort. Tonight, each of us can start toward this ideal through our own contributions to the Million Acts of Service and Kindness. Living for others is an important step toward the dream of One Family under God. Imagine if young people from enemy nations worked side by side in service. Any misunderstandings and hatred that existed would fade away as they sweat, cry and laugh together with a common purpose and cause. Peace Among the World s Religions Another goal of the Global Peace Festival is to celebrate the common universal values shared by all faiths. As you ve seen this evening, through the Universal Peace Federation s interfaith gatherings in the Middle East, Christians, Muslims and Jews are rediscovering their common heritage in Abraham. They are realizing that they have more in common than the issues that currently divide them, and that they truly are brothers and sisters of faith longing equally for peace and reconciliation. We have discovered that relations between faith traditions are not about mere toleration of one another's prayers and rituals. A true interfaith experience is a celebration of the core principles that bind all God-affirming people together as one family. When we remember our common origin and our common heritage, our eyes open to the obvious truth that all people, regardless of creed, race or culture, are indeed One Family under God. America, as a nation of interfaith ideals, must now fulfill its destiny of leading the world toward peace. Working with the United Nations, I propose that the United States second the motion that my

17 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 17 father made in the UN to establish an Inter-religious Council of faith leaders similar to the Security Council. Many great minds agree that the greatest threat to global peace and future development is religious narrow-mindedness. This new UN council could be the forum for all faiths to find common ground and lead the peace process. In addition, I believe the UN needs to recognize the centrality of God in the discussion on human rights. I propose the UN Charter be modified to include the idea that humanity is endowed by the Creator with inalienable rights similar to the US Declaration of Independence. Without a spiritual root in our common heritage, fundamental human rights will continue to be abused. Call to action: Looking Ahead Ladies and Gentlemen, today at the US Capitol we are demonstrating a model of interfaith harmony and declaring a common commitment to establish One Family under God. This initiative will be extended to all 50 states in October and to every continent where the Global Peace Festivals will be convened this year and over the coming years. We must revive America s founding vision and expand that dream onto a global stage through the universal vision of One Family under God. It should be the clarion call of our age. As my father said in a recent Peace Message, the time has come to tear down the man-made walls of race, culture, religion and country, and establish the peaceful, ideal world of God s cherished desire. The power of one human family united, can quell the turmoil of conflict throughout the world---from the strife and poverty of Afri-

18 18 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL ca, to the conflict in the Middle East, and the final remnant of the Cold War on the Korean Peninsula. As Americans and global citizens, standing upon this hallowed ground, under the steadfast gaze of our forefathers and those who paid the ultimate price on the altar of Freedom, let us make a solemn pledge to expand the American dream and lead the world to peace through the vision of One Family under God. Then, as surely as light overcomes the darkness, an era of peace and prosperity will emerge from the depths of distrust and hatred both at home and in the far corners of our world. Together, we can dare to dream the greatest dream of all! Let us own the dream to create One Family under God. May God bless you and your family, and may God bless this great nation of America! Thank you very much.

19 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 19 Nairobi, Kenya Jomo Kenyatta Conference Center Grounds August 31, 2008 Mr Prime Minister, honored guests, friends, family, ladies and gentleman. Welcome to the Global Peace Festival in beautiful Nairobi, Kenya! JAM-bo! Ka-RI-bu! [Greetings! Welcome!] Thank you for coming and participating in this historic peace movement. It is a great honor and pleasure to be with you today. I believe everyone who has the opportunity to come to the African continent falls in love with her primeval beauty: From the majestic falls of Lake Victoria to the snow-capped peaks of Mt. Kilimanjaro; from the great plains of the Serengetti to the jungles of the Congo; from the parched desert of the Kalahari to the oasis of the Okavango Delta. The diversity of Kenya s landscape and the extraordinary creatures that inhabit it, and the richness of her natural resources has made this region of Africa a veritable Garden of Eden which could resuscitate this entire continent and bring forth a blossoming of an African Renaissance. Today, we are celebrating a vision of peace and prosperity for Africa at the Global Peace Festivals here in Kenya and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These two nations at the center of Africa represent the French and English speaking nations of this

20 20 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL continent. Let us take a moment to welcome our French-speaking brothers and sisters to the Global Peace Festivals in Africa! The origin of the Human Family and a vision of Peace Ladies and gentlemen, scientists and anthropologists tell us that Africa is the cradle of human life. Research now suggests that the human genome, carrying the genetic material of all 6.5 billion people inhabiting this earth, can be traced back to a single mother and that she lived right here in Africa! Therefore, it is fitting that we have come back to humanity s birthplace to break away from our collective history of war and conflict, and to set up a new paradigm for peace and prosperity for all mankind. What is most important now is not how and where the human family began millions of years ago, but rather how, where and when the human family will at last come together to live in peace. If we can see each other as one family, beyond our differences, then we would soon end the scourges of poverty, tribalism, racism, corruption, pollution, and war as well as all the other ills of our modern world. However, we need to be bold and break new ground in our search for peace and prosperity if we are to go beyond the failures of our past. We only need to look back to the last century to recognize the futility of tackling the world s problems through the same old military, economic, political, diplomatic and scientific solutions. Dealing with only the symptoms of global crisis and conflict and ignoring the root cause will not work. Conflict begins within the hearts and consciences of men and women. That is why even the grand vision behind the League of Nations and, later, the United Na-

21 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 21 tions was yet unable to prevent the 20 th century from being the bloodiest era in human history. The world is in dire need for a new vision of peace for the 21 st Century. Unlike the secular visions of the past, a vision of peace for this new millennium should be a spiritual vision, rooted in timeenduring values and principles which come from God. I believe that vision is One Family under God! and I have come here to share that vision with all of you today. God s Dream and the Christian Mission The vision of one family under God goes all the way back to the very beginning of human history. Just as we have big aspirations and hopes for our children, so too did God have great expectations for humanity. God wanted his children to create a true family which could be the school of true love, true life and true lineage. The human family would have been God s family where he would dwell as the True Parent of all mankind. Yet, this dream was not realized. And therefore, God has worked and waited patiently throughout human history, often in agony and lamentation, for someone to realize His unfilled dream. 2,000 years ago, a young carpenter s son, Jesus Christ, went beyond the traditions of his own people, referring to God as his Father and embracing all humanity as his brothers and sisters. Jesus taught a selfless, compassionate love, the need for individual spiritual responsibility, the promise of universal salvation, and the need to create the family of God. Tragically Jesus life was cut short and the new wine he was to bring was unfortunately poured into less-than-new wine skins. Yet,

22 22 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL his legacy and message lived on through the foundation of world Christianity. The dream to create One Family under God did not end with Jesus. It remained latent within the Christian message, waiting for someone to rekindle Jesus universal and global mission. The person who has taken on the global mantle to create One Family under God is none other than my father, the Reverend Dr. Sun Myung Moon. He has devoted his entire life to the fulfillment of that mission. To my father, the dream of building One Family under God is not just the dream of one man, one woman or one family but the dream of all humanity and, most of all, it is the dream of God. A True Family is the Model for Peace Once again, the message whose time has come for this age is One Family under God. Why a family? First, the family is universal. Regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality and religion, we are all members of families. Secondly, the family represents the most intimate of relationships. When we feel close to someone, we use familial terms, saying that person is like my father, like my mother, like my brother, and like my sister. In the family we learn to love humanity in all its richness and diversity. Before we call ourselves Christian, Muslim, or Jew, before we see ourselves as black, white, or Asian, before we identify ourselves as Korean, Kenyan or American, we are first and foremost the eternal sons and daughters of God and members of his eternal family. This is the starting point to realize the dream of creating One Family under God, one family at a time.

23 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 23 Ladies and gentlemen, when my mother, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon last came to Africa, she shared the vision of creating One Family under God one family at a time through the process of the World Peace Blessing. The Blessing is a movement to renew the family as the central building block of God s kingdom of Heaven on Earth, as well as being an instrument for bringing everlasting global peace and reconciliation. My Father explained this in one of his recent peace messages: Imagine two enemy families who have cursed each other throughout their lives, people who would never dream of living together. What would happen if these families joined together through an exchange Holy Marriage Blessing? A son from one family and a daughter from the other family become husband and wife, love each other and build a happy home. Would the parents in each family curse their own children? When their son loves this beautiful daughter of a hated enemy, and she as their daughter-in-law gives birth to Heaven s grandchildren as pure and clear as crystal, the grandparents would smile with pleasure. In time the two lineages that were once soaked with enmity will be transformed. What method other than exchange marriage will empower Whites and Blacks, Jews and Muslims, Orientals and Westerners, and people of all races to live as one human family? The ideal family is the model for living together in peace. Restoring the family, then, through strengthening marriages between a husband and wife as well as raising good children will be the best solution to deal with the plethora of social and civil problems plaguing Africa and the world.

24 24 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL It will buttress society from the moral decline of its youth, increase in crime, drug abuse, and corruption as well as the spread of diseases such as AIDs. In addition, it could be the solution to break down the age-old resentments that have fueled religious, tribal and civil conflict on this continent. A New Future for Africa The African continent has been blessed with some of the world s richest reserves of natural resources. Unfortunately, many African nations are in a state of dire poverty, disease, corruption, and civil war. Although there are many historical and social reasons why this is so, it is my firm conviction that in order to change this situation, what Africa needs more than anything else is a new paradigm of moral and spiritual leadership rooted in the vision of One Family under God. When my parents visited several African nations a couple of years ago, they noticed many parallels between the situation in Africa today and the situation in Korea in the 1950s and 1960s. Like Africa, Korea was then a nation devastated both by a brutal colonial occupation, and then by a civil war where the superpowers of the Cold War era fought a hot war of ideological domination. In the process, our nation was divided along the 38 th parallel and more than 70% of the national assets were destroyed. When the conflict ceased in 1953, more than a million people were dead and families torn apart along the arbitrary border between the two Koreas. Yet within just thirty short years, although the North had stagnated, South Korea has been reborn and experienced unprecedented

25 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 25 growth to the point where its was able to successfully host the Olympic Games in Twenty years after that, Korea is one of the leading economic powers of the world. It is the most wired nation in the world, leading the internet revolution in addition to dominating the steel and ship building industries as well as fast becoming an automotive and telecommunications giant. Although South Korea is a small country with a shortage of natural resources, it was able to harness its most valuable assets it s industrious and resourceful citizens for a common collective good. From the 1960s, a spirit of national unity developed around the New Village Movement. First proposed by my father, it was an experiment on a national scale of living for the sake of others, a philosophy of life my parents have been promoting through their teachings. In every town, village and hamlet, people put the public good above their own personal ambition and benefit. In short, this movement s philosophy morphed into the cultural glue of national solidarity which allowed everyone to prosper together as Koreans. The same philosophy that helped Korea will certainly help other nations to prosper as well, especially here in Africa. A culture of living for the sake of others could diffuse the vitriol of tribalism and civil conflict as well as root out corruption as communities and nations within the continent looks to work together to create an African miracle. I believe Kenya and the DRC would be an excellent place to start. Although the recent violence that ravaged Kenya at the begin-

26 26 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL ning of this year threatened the survival of this nation, by the grace of God, the flames of hatred and resentment have been extinguished. I would like to take a moment to applaud the efforts of both President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga for having the courage to pull back from the precipice of all-out civil war and choosing instead a path to build the future of this country together as fellow Kenyans and Africans. The Importance of Service Ladies and Gentlemen, building a culture of service has been one of the primary goals of the Global Peace Festival. Last month in Paraguay, more than 10,000 high school and college students spent several weeks cleaning almost every park in the capital city of Asunción. Senators, congressmen, priests and community leaders were astonished, saying this level of public service had never been part of their culture, especially among the young. The Global Peace Festival in Washington DC, USA, conducted similar service projects but went one step further by celebrating a vision to create a worldwide culture of service, through the creation of a Global Peace Corps. And I am pleased to tell you that here in Nairobi, the Global Peace Festival has also been spearheading a remarkable service effort. Thousands of Kenyans, mostly students, came to clean the banks of the Nairobi River as well as engage in other service programs. To all who participated in these acts of service and kindness, I want to say a heartfelt thank you! There is something deeply spiritual in serving others. It is not something we should do only for a day, a month or even a year. It should become our way of life. When living for the sake of others

27 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 27 becomes a habit, we come to see the true value God places on all human beings. Imagine if young people from enemy nations work side by side in service. Any misunderstandings and hatred that existed would fade away as they sweat, cry and laugh together with a common purpose and cause. Creating a culture of service is necessary for peace to exist, and the Global Peace Festival has been re-igniting the spirit of volunteerism in many countries, I d like to see Kenya s faith-based and community partners joining with those of other countries, such as the United States, to establish a Global Peace Corps. Working for Religious Reconciliation Another goal of the Global Peace Festival is to celebrate the common universal values shared by all faiths. This is another vital task if there is to be greater peace and prosperity throughout Africa. For this to succeed, religious and spiritual leaders must lead the peace process. Instead of advocating their own narrow doctrinal perspective, they must lead all people of faith to recognize the shared values and principles that come from our common heritage in one God. In the Middle East, the Universal Peace Federation s interfaith gatherings of Christians, Muslims and Jews are helping them rediscover their common heritage in Abraham. They are realizing that they have more in common than differences and that they are truly brothers and sisters of faith, longing equally for peace and reconciliation.

28 28 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL We have discovered that relations between faith traditions are not about mere toleration of one another's prayers and rituals. A true interfaith experience is a celebration of the core principles that bind all God-affirming people together as one family. When we remember our common origin and our common heritage, our eyes open to the obvious truth that all people, regardless of creed, race or culture, are indeed One Family under God. Working with the United Nations and the African Union, I am proposing that Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo second the motion that my father made in the UN to establish an Inter-religious Council of faith leaders similar to the UN Security Council. Many great minds agree that the biggest threat to global peace and future development is religious narrow-mindedness. This new UN council could be the forum for all faiths to find common ground and lead the peace process. In addition, I believe the UN needs to emulate Kenya and the United States by recognizing the centrality of God in the discussion on human rights. As a result, I propose the UN Charter be modified to include the idea that humanity is endowed by the Creator with certain inalienable rights similar to the U.S. Declaration of Independence. This is absolutely necessary in securing human rights as an absolute inalienable right above any human institution or law. Without a spiritual precedence rooted in our common heritage, fundamental human rights will be abused. We only need to open our eyes to what is currently transpiring around the world and especially on this continent of Africa.

29 Call to Action ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 29 As the Global Peace Festival advances from nation to nation and continent to continent, we see that a global movement is on the rise, guided by the universal, spiritual vision of One Family under God. We see first hand that all humanity is crying out for peace, and we grow more and more confident that a world of peace can be achieved as this vision takes root in the hearts of conscientious men and women the world over. Let us join the cadre of Ambassadors for Peace and all people of faith who have taken the lead in this global peace initiative as owners of the vision to build One Family under God. I firmly believe that we are at a providential moment in time and God has great plans for us if we are only willing to dream the greatest dream of all. That dream is the dream to create One Family under God. Can you own the dream of One Family under God?!!! Yes or no?!! Ladies and gentlemen, the universal, spiritual vision of One Family under God should be the clarion call of our age. The power of one human family united, can quell the turmoil of conflict throughout the world from the conflict in the Middle East, to the final remnant of the Cold War on the Korean Peninsula, to the poverty, disease and civil strife in Africa. As we stand today, under the steadfast gaze of our ancestors, let us make a solemn pledge to lead the world to peace through the vision of One Family under God. Then, as surely as light overcomes the darkness, an era of peace and prosperity will emerge from the depths of distrust and hatred at home and in the far corners of our world.

30 30 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL Let us erase our tumultuous past and author a new future for this new millennium. Let us dare to dream the greatest dream of all! Let us own the dream of One Family under God! God bless you and your families and especially the nations of Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo! Thank you very much!

31 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 31 Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Sukhbaatar Square September 9, 2008 Esteemed dignitaries, family, friends, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Global Peace Festival in beautiful Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, a region steeped with a rich cultural and historical past and an even more promising future. It is especially a great honor and pleasure to be with you today in the heartland of Asia with my ethnic cousins to celebrate a vision of everlasting peace, as our ancestors have done close to 800 years ago. However, unlike our forefathers who sought that peace at the end of a sword, we have gathered here to build a peaceful world through a universal, spiritual vision rooted in shared principles and values. Just last month, the world gathered in Beijing, China for the Olympic Games, under the theme of One World, One Dream. Let me take a moment to congratulate Tuvshinbayar Naidan (Tushvee) and Badar-Uugan Enkhbat for winning the first ever gold medals for Mongolia in judo and boxing. I myself had the privilege of representing Korea in the 1988 Seoul and 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. And I well remember the excitement of competition and cooperation during those games. The problem is, of course, that after a few days, or weeks, the aura of global goodwill starts to fade away as the real problems of the world resurface.

32 32 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL The need for a new vision Today I want to share a vision of peace for Mongolia and all nations in this region. To begin with, we will need to admit that we have to be bold and break new ground in our search for peace and prosperity, if we are to really go beyond the failures of our past. We only need to look back to the last century to recognize the futility of tackling the world s problems through the same old military, economic, political, diplomatic and scientific solutions. Dealing with only the symptoms of global crisis and conflict and ignoring the root cause will not work. Conflict begins when we fail to follow the dictates of our conscience and fail to recognize our common heritage in God. That is why even the grand vision behind the League of Nations and, later, the United Nations was unable to prevent the 20th century from being the bloodiest era in human history. The world needs a new vision of peace for the 21st Century. Unlike the secular thinking of our recent past, it should be a spiritual vision, rooted in time-enduring values. That vision is One Family under God! The one who has taken on the mantle to champion this vision around the world is none other than my father, the Reverend Dr. Sun Myung Moon. After receiving this revelation on a cold Easter Sunday, more than seventy three years ago, he devoted his entire life, resources and wealth to the fulfillment of that dream. For, to him, the dream to build One Family under God was not the dream of just one man, woman or family but belonged to all humanity and, most of all, to God. My father goes on to explain in one of his recent messages,

33 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 33 God, the Creator of all things under the sun, is the true parent of all humanity. He is not a parent in the parochial sense, existing only for a certain religion, a certain race, or the residents of a certain region. You may call Him by any name, be it Jehovah, Allah, [Heaven], or any other. What is important is that He certainly exists, lives as the true parent of all people, and is carrying on the great work of Creation. A True Family is the Model for Peace Let us take a moment and think a little more about why the family is the fundamental building block for peace. First and foremost, the family is universal. Regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality and religious affiliations, we are all members of families. Secondly, the family represents the most intimate of human relationships. We use familial terms to describe the closeness of any relationship, saying that person is like my father, like my mother, like my brother, like my sister, like my son and like my daughter. We have all had those experiences and those types of relationships. Most importantly, the family is the school of love. Through the lessons in our families, we learn to embrace and value all relationships, whether they are inter-generational, between the sexes, or between peers. I believe that the three-generational model of grandparents, parents and children is the paragon of family virtue. Those generations represent the past, present and future living in harmony in one family, thus encapsulating the continuum of time and setting the basis of establishing everlasting peace centered upon true love.

34 34 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL As the cornerstone of all societies, families instill a culture of love and service that extends to our communities, to our nations and to the world. In short, we love our family in order to learn to love humanity in its richness and diversity. Before we call ourselves Buddhist, Christian, or Muslim, before we see ourselves as black, white, or Asian, before we identify ourselves as Mongolian, Russian, or Chinese, we are first and foremost the eternal sons and daughters of God and members of his eternal family. Therefore, we should own the dream to realize One Family under God one family at a time, by uplifting all families beyond race, nationality or creed. The Spiritual History of the Mongol Empire The dream to build One Family under God should resonate with Mongolia s spiritual heritage, a heritage that goes all the way back to its pre-history, very much like my native home of Korea. In fact, it was this heritage which prompted the most famous Mongolian, Chinggis Han, and later his family to undertake the enormous task of uniting the world under One Heaven. Although he had been dehumanized by 18 th century Europeans intent on building a caricature of Asian inferiority, among many of his contemporaries across Asia, the Middle East and even Europe, Chinggis Han was considered to be an enlightened Prince carrying out a divine mandate to unite humanity and bring an end to conflict and war. Under the Pax Mongolia, all of Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe enjoyed freedom of trade, travel, ideas and even religion. It

35 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 35 was because of this peace that Marco Polo found his way to China and wrote of his travels, leading to the Age of Discovery and, one could even argue, the Renaissance and the Reformation in Europe. For the first time in human history, one empire controlled the lives of most of the world s inhabitants. Yet, it fostered values of cultural and religious tolerance, respect for ability above social standing, appreciation of human life, and the importance of intercultural, inter-racial, and inter-religious marriages and families. One could even argue that the Mongol empire had the beginnings of a universal framework of religious freedom and human rights later championed by the United States. Carrying on the legacy Mongolia s rich historical past is relevant in our age for creating a world of peace, especially here in Eurasia. With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the large Eurasian continent has seen an explosion of ethnic, religious, and national rivalries which have destabilized the region, hampering initiatives for peace and prosperity. The recent war in the South Caucasus proves that the countries of this region still have a way to go to overcome these conflicts of the past. Undecided territorial, ethnic and national divisions and broken economic and social ties all provoke instability, uncertainty and violence. The nations and peoples of this region need a new peace initiative, based upon a common vision. What unifying legacy, vision and principle could unite the disparate forces at work in this region? I believe that the key to unlock the strife of Eurasia lies in her common history and heritage.

36 36 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL We are all of Mongolian descent, whether we are born in Korea, China or Russia. Spanning from the Pacific to the banks of the Danube, the Mongol lineage, represented by the unique blue birthmark, has spread to encompass more than 70% of the human population. Recognizing the potential challenges of our age, the Mongolian Peoples Federation for World Peace was inaugurated by my father on August 4 th, At the second assembly, he outlined the purpose of this new peace initiative: This federation and movement does not aim at establishing another nation in the world. Nor is it the beginning of a new nationalist movement. It [will]do away with all the walls and national boundaries and bring together the six billion people of the world, through rallying together the interrelated people of Mongolian descent. If Mongolia could own the vision of One Family under God and align with the mission of the Mongolian Peoples Federation, it could inspire the entire region to look beyond its narrow interests and recognize its common heritage and, thereby, its common future. As the cliché blood is thicker than water suggests, the Mongolian lineage transcends national boundaries and cultural divides and builds a collective regional solidarity that could uplift Eurasia from the mire of civil conflict and war. Like our forefathers who marched across the Eurasian continent, charged with the mission to unite mankind under One Heaven, let us move boldly to the four corners of the world as owners of the vision to create One Family Under God ushering in an age of peace and co-prosperity for all Mongolians, Asians, Eurasians and the world. Will you take on this challenge? Yes or no?

37 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 37 How Nations Become Great Ladies and Gentlemen, being ranked amongst the largest nations in the world in terms of land mass, Mongolia enjoys an abundant reserve of natural resources such as those recently discovered underneath the Gobi desert. Nevertheless, many nations with similar riches have remained in a state of poverty, disease, corruption, and civil war. Although there are many historical and social reasons why this is so, it is my firm conviction that nations achieve greatness through moral and spiritual leadership, rooted in the peace philosophy of living for the sake of others. In the 1950s my homeland of Korea was a nation devastated both by a colonial occupation, and then by a civil war where the superpowers of the Cold War era fought a hot war of ideological domination. In the process, our nation was divided along the 38th parallel and more than 70% of the national assets were destroyed. When the conflict ceased in 1953, more than a million people were dead and families torn apart along the arbitrary border between the two Koreas. Yet within just thirty short years, although the North had stagnated, South Korea has been reborn and experienced unprecedented growth to the point where it was able to successfully host the Olympic Games in Twenty years after that, Korea is one of the leading economic powers of the world. It is the most wired nation in the world, leading the internet revolution in addition to dominating the steel and ship building industries as well as fast becoming an automotive and telecommunications giant.

38 38 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL Although South Korea is a small country with a shortage of natural resources, it was able to harness its most valuable assets it s industrious and resourceful citizens for a common collective good. From the 1960s, a spirit of national unity developed around the New Village Movement. First proposed by my father, it was an experiment on a national scale of living for the sake of others, a philosophy of life my parents have been promoting through their teachings. In every town, village and hamlet, people put the public good above their own personal ambition and benefit. In short, this movement s philosophy morphed into the cultural glue of national solidarity which allowed everyone to prosper together as Koreans. The same philosophy that helped build the Korean miracle will certainly help her cousins here in Mongolia as well. A culture of living for the sake of others could diffuse the vitriol of self interest and civil conflict as well as root out corruption as communities work together with common purpose and cause to build a unifying national identity. In that light, I would like to take a moment to applaud the efforts of all those leaders who had the courage to pull back from the precipice of civil conflict. Now is the time to come together as fellow Mongolians and build a new tomorrow for our children and grandchildren. That tomorrow should be rooted in the vision of One Family under God. Building A Culture of Service Recently at the Global Peace Festival in Paraguay, more than 10,000 high school and college students spent several weeks cleaning almost every park in the capital city of Asunción.

39 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 39 Senators, congressmen, priests and community leaders were astonished, saying this level of public service had never been part of their culture, especially among the young. The Global Peace Festival in Washington, DC conducted similar service projects, including a food drive to feed the hungry in the nation s capitol. In Nairobi, Kenya, the Global Peace Festival spearheaded a remarkable service effort where thousands of Kenyans, mostly students, cleaned the polluted banks of the Nairobi River. Here in Mongolia, volunteers from Service for Peace and a dozen other agencies have been working to make the city of Ulaanbaatar a place of beauty and harmony for all its residents. Just yesterday, I participated, with thousands of young Mongolians, in a project to clean the Peace Bell Park here at the center of Ulaanbaatar. To all those who participated in these acts of service and kindness, I want to say a heartfelt thank you! Creating a culture of service is necessary for peace to exist, and the Global Peace Festival has been re-igniting the spirit of volunteerism in many countries around the world. I d like to see Mongolia s exemplary volunteers and service partners joining with nations, such as the United States, Russia, Europe and Asia to establish a Global Peace Corps. Imagine if young people from enemy nations worked side by side in service with the heart of living for the sake of others. Any misunderstandings and hatred that existed would fade away as they sweat, cry and laugh together with a common vision to build One Family under God.

40 40 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL Working for Religious Reconciliation Another goal of the Global Peace Festival is to celebrate the common universal values shared by all faiths. Religious and spiritual leaders must lead the peace process. Instead of advocating their own narrow doctrinal perspective, they must lead all people of faith to recognize the shared values and principles that come from our common heritage in one God. In the Middle East, the Universal Peace Federation s interfaith gatherings of Christians, Muslims and Jews are helping them rediscover their common heritage in Abraham. They are realizing that they have more in common than differences and that they are truly brothers and sisters of faith, longing equally for peace and reconciliation. We have discovered that relations between faith traditions are not about mere toleration of one another's prayers and rituals. A true interfaith experience is a celebration of the core principles that bind all God-affirming people together as one family. When we remember our common origin and our common heritage, our eyes open to the obvious truth that all people, regardless of creed, race or culture, are indeed One Family under God. I would like to suggest that all nations second the motion that my father made in the United Nations to establish an Inter-religious Council of faith leaders, similar to the UN Security Council. This new UN council could be the forum for all faiths to find common ground and lead the peace process. In addition, I believe the UN needs to recognize the centrality of God in the discussion on human rights. I propose that it ratifies the UN Charter to be in line with the ideal that humanity is endowed

41 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 41 by our Creator with certain inalienable rights similar to our Declaration of Independence. This is absolutely necessary in securing human rights as an absolute inalienable right above any human institution or law. Without a spiritual precedence rooted in our common heritage, fundamental human rights will be abused. We only need to open our eyes to what is currently transpiring around the world. The biggest dream of all Let us be bold today and dare to dream big! Let us dream the greatest dream of all! You have already heard of the Mongolian Dream, a dream to endow every child with a good education and a healthy life. Today, I invite you to aspire to an even greater dream. That dream is One Family under God. It should be the clarion call for our age. As my father suggested, we should tear down the man-made walls of race, culture, religion and country, and establish the peaceful, ideal world of God s cherished desire. The power of one human family united can quell the turmoil of conflict throughout the world from the conflict in the Middle East, to the final remnant of the Cold War on the Korean Peninsula, to the poverty and disease of Africa and to the civil, ethnic and national strife of Eurasia. As we stand under the steadfast gaze of our ancestors, let us make a solemn pledge to lead the world to peace by realizing the dream to create One Family under God. Then, as surely as light overcomes the darkness, an era of peace and prosperity will emerge

42 42 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL from the depths of distrust and hatred both at home and in the far corners of our world. Together, we can dare to dream the greatest dream of all! Let us own the dream to create One Family under God. May God bless you and your families, this great nation of Mongolia and all then nations represented here. Thank you very much!

43 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 43 Ottawa, Canada Millennium Hotel October 7, 2008 Esteemed dignitaries, family, friends, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Global Peace Festival in beautiful Ottawa, Canada. It is a great honor and pleasure to be with you today here to celebrate a vision of everlasting peace. Canada is the certainly the right place to talk about peace, with her long and proud history of peace and non-violence. Canada has always been a strong supporter of the United Nation s work for peace and is also known for its warm and uncomplicated welcome for people from all over the world. Nevertheless, when we consider the number of wars and conflicts that continue to plague humanity, it is clear that the world undeniably needs a new vision of peace for the 21st Century. And unlike the secular thinking of our recent past, it should be a spiritual vision, rooted in universal values. We only need to look back to the last century to recognize the futility of tackling the world s problems through the same old military, economic, political, diplomatic and scientific solutions. Dealing with only the symptoms of global crisis and conflict and ignoring the root cause will not work. We must be bold and break new ground in our search for peace and prosperity, if we are to really go beyond the failures of our past.

44 44 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL Today, therefore, I want to share a new vision of lasting peace for Canada and for all nations. That vision is One Family under God! The one who has taken on the mantle to champion this vision around the world is none other than my father, the Reverend Dr. Sun Myung Moon. He has devoted his entire life, resources and wealth to the fulfillment of that dream. The dream to build One Family under God is not the dream of just one man, woman or family but belongs to all humanity and, most of all, to God. As my father explained when he visited Toronto a few years ago, God, the Creator of all things under the sun, is the true parent of all humanity. He is not a parent in the parochial sense, existing only for a certain religion, a certain race, or the residents of a certain region. You may call Him by any name, be it Jehovah, Allah, [Heaven], or any other. What is important is that He certainly exists and lives as the true parent of all people.. A True Family is the Model for Peace Why is the family the fundamental building block for peace? First and foremost, the family is universal. Regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality and religious affiliations, we are all members of families. Secondly, the family represents the most intimate of human relationships. We use familial terms to describe the closeness of any relationship, saying that person is like my father, like my mother, like my brother, like my sister, like my son and like my daughter.

45 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 45 Most importantly, the family is the school of love. I believe that the three-generational model of grandparents, parents and children is the paragon of family virtue. Those generations represent the past, present and future living in harmony in one family, setting the basis of establishing everlasting peace centered upon true love. Before we call ourselves, Christian, or Muslim, Jew or Buddhist, before we see ourselves as black, white, or Asian, before we identify ourselves as Canadian, or American, or citizens of any nation, we are first and foremost the eternal sons and daughters of God and members of his eternal family. Therefore, we should own the dream to realize One Family under God one family at a time, by uplifting all families beyond race, nationality or creed. The recent war in the South Caucasus is yet another unwelcome reminder that the countries of this world have a way to go to overcome these conflicts of the past. Undecided territorial, ethnic and national divisions and broken economic and social ties all provoke instability, uncertainty and violence. This is why we so badly need a new peace initiative, based upon the common vision of One Family Under God If Canada could own this vision of One Family under God it could inspire the entire continent and the world to look beyond its narrow interests and recognize its common heritage and, thereby, its common future. Will you take on this challenge? Yes or no?

46 46 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL A New Culture of Service and Peace Creating a culture of service is a necessary step for peace. The Global Peace Festival has created a new spirit of volunteerism around the world. In Paraguay, more than 10,000 high school and college students spent weeks cleaning almost every park in the capital city of Asunción. In Kenya more than 25,000 volunteers helped clean the polluted banks of the Nairobi River. In Mongolia, volunteers from Service for Peace and a dozen other agencies have been working to make the city of Ulaanbaatar a place of beauty and harmony for all its residents. At the Global Peace Festival in Washington, DC, we worked with President George H Bush s Points of Light Institute and held a food drive to feed the hungry in the nation s capitol. I know you ve made a similar drive right here in Ottawa as well. To all those who participated in these acts of service and kindness, I want to say a heartfelt thank you! I d like to see Canada s volunteers and service partners joining with other nations, such as the United States, Europe, Russia, China, and Asia to establish a Global Peace Corps. Imagine if young people from enemy nations worked side by side in service with the heart of living for the sake of others. Any misunderstandings and hatred that existed would fade away as they sweat, cry and laugh together with a common vision to build One Family under God.

47 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 47 Working for Religious Reconciliation Another goal of the Global Peace Festival is to celebrate the common universal values shared by all faiths. Religious and spiritual leaders must lead the peace process. Instead of advocating their own narrow doctrinal perspective, they must lead all people of faith to recognize the shared values and principles that come from our common heritage in one God. Let us be bold tonight and dare to dream big! The greatest dream of all is One Family under God. It should be the clarion call for our age. The power of one human family united can quell the turmoil of conflict throughout the world from the conflict in the Middle East, to the final remnant of the Cold War on the Korean Peninsula, to the poverty and disease of Africa and to the civil, ethnic and national strife of Eurasia. As we stand under the steadfast gaze of our ancestors, let us make a solemn pledge to lead the world to peace by realizing the dream to create One Family under God. Then, as surely as light overcomes the darkness, an era of peace and prosperity will emerge from the depths of distrust and hatred both at home and in the far corners of our world. Together, we can dare to dream the greatest dream of all! Let us own the dream to create One Family under God. May God bless you and your families, this great nation of Canada and all the nations represented here at the Global Peace Festival! Thank you very much!

48 48 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Bhukit Jalil Stadium October 22, 2008 Esteemed dignitaries, family, friends, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Global Peace Festival in beautiful Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Salam Sejahtera! Greetings! It is a great honor and pleasure to be with you today to celebrate a vision of everlasting peace. Your being here this evening in such numbers is a clear sign that the Global Peace Festival is indeed bringing a new breath of hope to a world yearning for an end to the cycle of war, conflict and poverty! I love Malaysia! Each time I come here, I am deeply impressed at how this nation is becoming a model of interfaith peace and unity, with people of all religions, races and ethnicities living together as neighbors and as brothers and sisters. Malaysia is truly a nation that loves God. When we visited the Putrajaya Mosque on Friday, I was inspired to learn how the parliamentary leaders of the nation pause in their governmental duties every week to honor God. Elsewhere, we saw preparations for the celebration of Deepavali, the Hindu festival of lights, and we were reminded of your beautiful tradition of tolerance of all faiths. Moreover, Malaysia has invited tens of thousands of students from all over the world to study here, many with generous scholarships. In this way, you are helping to create a new generation of peace-builders who will take a central role in building a world of peace in this 21st century.

49 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 49 Young people like to dream big. Malaysia is young nation that is dreaming about becoming the world capital of peace. I have come here tonight to challenge you to dream the greatest dream of all, the dream of One Family Under God. I t h i n k w e c a n a l l a g r e e t h a t t h e r e i s a l o n g w a y t o g o i f we are to truly realize this dream of peace. In recent weeks, financial chaos and economic uncertainty have been shaking almost every nation of the world. Every nation also faces persistent problems of crime, unemployment, AIDs, poverty, family breakdown and youth problems. On top of all that, there are a record number of wars and regional conflicts that continue to plague the human family. Recently, the United Nations released a very pessimistic report stating that progress towards the Millennium Developm e n t G o a l s i s w a y o f f track. No wonder it sometimes seems that our world is actually further away from peace than ever before! One thing is clear: if there is to be any change, the world undeniably needs a new vision of peace for the 21st Century. Moreover, unlike the secular thinking of our recent past, it should be a spiritual vision, rooted in universal values. W e o n l y n e e d t o l o o k b a c k t o t h e l a s t c e n t u r y t o r e c o g n i z e t h e f u t i l i t y of tackling the world s problems through the same old military, economic, political, diplomatic and scientific solutions. Dealing with only the symptoms of global crisis and conflict and ignoring the root cause will not work. We must be bold and break new ground in our search for peace and prosperity, if we are to really go beyond the failures of our past. Today, therefore, I want to share a new vision of lasting peace for Malaysia and for all nations. That vision is One Family under God!

50 50 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL The one who has taken on the mantle to champion this vision around the world is none other than my father, the Reverend Dr. Sun Myung Moon. He has devoted his entire life and all his resources to the fulfillment of that dream. The dream to build One Family Under God is not the dream of j ust one ma n, w oma n or fa mi l y but belongs to all humanity and, most of all, to God. As my father explained in a recent Peace Message, God, the Creator of all things under the sun, is the true parent of all humanity. He is not a parent in the parochial sense, existing only for a certain religion, a certain race, or the residents of a certain region. You may call Him by any name, be it Allah, Jehovah, God, Heaven or any other. What is important is that He certainly exists and lives as the creator and true parent of all mankind. A True Family is the Model for Peace Why is the family the fundamental building block for peace? First and foremost, the family is universal. Regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality and religious affiliations, we are all members of families. Secondly, the family represents the most intimate of human relations h i p s. W e u s e f a m i l i a l t e r m s t o d escribe the closeness of any relationship, s a y i n g t h a t p e r s o n i s l i k e m y f a t h e r, l i k e m y m o t h e r, l i k e m y b r o t h e r, l i k e my sister, like my son and like my daughter. Most importantly, the family is the school of love. I believe that the three-generational model of grandparents, parents and children is the paragon of family virtue.

51 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 51 Those generations represent the past, present and future living in harmony in one family, setting the basis of establishing everlasting peace centered upon true love. Before we call ourselves Muslim or Christian or Hindu, before we see ourselves as Black, White, or Asian, before we identify ourselves as Malaysian, Chinese or Korean, we are first and foremost brothers and sisters and members of God s eternal family. The dream of creating One Family under God can only be realized by uplifting all families beyond race, nationality or creed. If Malaysia could own this vision of One Family under God it could inspire the entire continent of Asia, and even the world to look beyond its narrow interests and recognize its common heritage and, thereby, its common future. Will you take on this challenge? Yes or no? A New Culture of Service and Peace Creating a culture of service is a necessary step for peace. The Global Peace Festival has created a new spirit of volunteerism around the world. In Paraguay, more than 10,000 high school and college students spent weeks cleaning almost every park in the capital city of Asunción. In Kenya more than 70,000 volunteers helped clean the polluted banks of the Nairobi River. In Mongolia, volunteers from Service for Peace and a dozen other agencies are working to make the city of Ulaanbaatar a place of beauty and harmony for all its residents. At the Global Peace Festival in Washington, DC, the GPF worked with the Boys and Girls Clubs, the Points of Light Institute and many local charities to hold a food drive to feed the hungry in the America s capital.

52 52 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet with some of the thousands of young people who ve been offering sacrificial service right here in Malaysia. I d like to say a special thank you to the many organizations and dedicated individuals who have worked so hard to make this Global Peace Festival possible. In particular I d like to acknowledge the contribution of the Ministry of Unity, Arts, Culture and Heritage, the United Nations Association of Malaysia, and the men and women of the Malaysian Armed Forces. To all those you who participated in the Power of 10 Cents campaign and in many other acts of service and kindness, I want to say a heartfelt thank you! I d like to see Malaysia s volunteers and service partners joining with other nations to establish a Global Peace Corps. Imagine if young people from enemy nations worked side by side in service with the heart of living for the sake of others. Any misunderstandings and hatred that existed would fade away as they sweat, cry and laugh together with a common vision to build One Family under God. Working for Religious Reconciliation Another important goal of the Global Peace Festival is to celebrate the common universal values shared by all faiths. Religious and spiritual leaders must lead the peace process. Instead of advocating their own narrow doctrinal perspective, they must lead all people of faith to recognize the shared values and principles that come from our common heritage in one God. I would like to suggest that Malaysia second the motion that my father made in the United Nation s t o e stablish an Inter-religious Council of faith leaders, similar to the UN Security Council. This new UN council

53 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 53 could be the forum for all faiths to find common ground and lead the peace process. In addition, I believe the United Nations itself needs to recognize the centrality and sovereignty of God in its discussions on human rights and peace. Without a spiritual precedent rooted in our common heritage, fundamental human rights will continue to be abused. Let us therefore be bold tonight and dare to dream big! The greatest dream of all is One Family under God. It should be the clarion call for our age. T h e p o w e r o f o n e h u m a n f a m i l y u n i t e d c a n q u e l l t h e t u r m o i l o f c o n- flict throughout the world from the conflict in the Middle East, to the final remnant of the Cold War on the Korean Peninsula, to the poverty and disease of Africa and to the civil, ethnic and national strife of Eurasia. As we stand under the steadfast gaze of our ancestors, let us make a solemn pledge to lead the world to peace by realizing the dream to create One Family under God. Then, as surely as light overcomes the darkness, an era of peace and prosperity will emerge from the depths of distrust and hatred both at home and in the far corners of our world. Together, we can dare to dream the greatest dream of all! Let us own the dream to create One Family under God. May God bless you and your families, this great nation of Malaysia and all the nations represented here at the Global Peace Festival! Terima Kasay! Thank you very much!

54 54 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL Seoul, Korea Yoido Plaza November 9, 2008 Honored guests from around the world, Ladies and Gentlemen; welcome to Global Peace Festival in beautiful Seoul, Korea! Over the last few days, the eyes of the world have been focused on the presidential elections in the United States, hoping to witness history in the making. Change, yes we can has become the slogan of not only a successful campaign but a message of hope at a time of national and global crisis. Of course, change for the sake of change is not enough. The goal and direction of that change is far more important. In this time where hope and expectation are mixed with uncertainty, the Global Peace Festivals are providing a new vision and direction for a fast-growing international movement of peace. At the Global Peace Festival in Paraguay, we helped smooth the first democratic transfer of power between civilian governments in that South American nation. At the Global Peace Festival in Kenya, Prime Minister Raila Odinga said that our efforts had played an important role in ending violence after disputed elections brought rival tribes to the brink of civil war. In Mongolia, another nation recovering from post-election violence, the President of Mongolia and leader of the People s Revolutionary Party told us that the vision of One Family Under God was absolutely needed for the spiritual life and development of his country.

55 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 55 In Mindanao, Philippines, where religious strife has been the most intense, we managed to bring Christians and Muslims together through the Global Peace Festival. The Governor of Mindanao said that this effort represented the best hope for reconciling long-standing religious conflicts. At the Global Peace Festival in Malaysia, a Muslim nation with several prominent religious minorities, the Honorable Mahathir Mohammed, who served as Prime Minister for 22 years, said that the time had come for the leaders of Islam and all religions to make a new commitment to w o r k t o g e t h e r. T e n s o f t h o u s a n d s c a m e o u t t o p l e d g e t h a t M a l a y s i a w o u l d become a world capital for peace. The Global Peace Festival is all the more relevant here in Korea, a peninsula and a people divided for more than half a century. The world is looking to us, the last divided nation on earth, to quickly unite and to take a l e a ding role to bring this region and the world to peace and prosperity. In order to articulate a meaningful vision for peace, we need to admit that we have to be bold and break new ground if we are to go beyond the failures of our past. We only need to look b a c k t o t h e l a s t c e n t u r y t o r e c o g n i z e t h e f u t i l i t y of tackling the world s problems through the same old military, economic, political and diplomatic solutions. Dealing with only the symptoms of global crisis and conflict and ignoring the root cause just will not work. Conflict begins when we fail to follow the dictates of our conscience and fail to recognize our common heritage in God. That is why even the grand vision behind the League of Nations, and later the United Nations was unable to prevent the 20th century from being the bloodiest era in human history. When we consider the number of wars and conflicts that continue to plague humanity, it is clear that the world needs a new vision of peace for

56 56 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL t h e 2 1 s t C e n t u r y. U n l i k e t h e s e c u l a r t h i n k i n g o f o u r r e cent past, it should be a spiritual vision, rooted in time-enduring values. That vision is One Family under God! The one who has taken on the mantle to champion this vision around the world is none other than my father, the Reverend Dr. Sun Myung Moon. After receiving this revelation on a cold Easter Sunday, seventy three years ago, he has devoted his entire life, resources and wealth to the fulfillment of that dream. To my father, the dream of building One Family under God is not the dream of just one man, one woman, or one family but a dream that belongs to all humanity and, most of all, to God. The Importance of the Family Let us take a moment and think about family. The family represents the most intimate of human relationships. We use familial terms to describe the closeness of any relationship saying, that person is like my father, like my mother, my brother, my sister, my son and like my daughter. The model of the extended family as the foundation for a stable society and nation is an important part of Korean culture. Our traditions of filial piety and respect for elders are significant contributions to human civilization. The family is the school of love. We love our family in order to learn to love humanity in its richness and diversity. Before we call ourselves Buddhist, Christian or Confucian, or see ourselves as black, white, or yellow, or identify ourselves as Korean, American or Japanese, we are first and foremost the sons and daughters of God and members of his eternal family. We should own the dream to realize One Family under God one f a m i l y a t a t i m e, b y u p l i f t i n g a l l f a m ilies beyond race, nationality or creed.

57 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 57 The Unification of Korea This vision of One Family under God is deeply rooted in Korea s spiritual heritage. One of the oldest civilizations on earth, Korean history begins with the creation myth of Tangun. The idea of God or heaven was the unifying theme in the formation of this nation and its people, and has always been seen as the force that molded its national character and sense of destiny. This national spirit to align to a Heavenly Will has made Korea a model nation of religious harmony and tolerance, allowing all faiths to flourish here in Korea unlike anywhere else in the world. Today, however the fact is that North Korea has become an atheistic, secular society. Here in the South, for the first time we are seeing religious conflict as a source of tension in our nation. The tragic breakdown of so many Korean marriages and families is another worrying development that represents a deep fracture in our national psyche. We are in danger of losing our most valuable spiritual and moral traditions. This is why the vision of One Family under God is so important for Korea at this time. 33 years ago, my father gathered more than one million Korean citizens, and thousands of delegates from 60 nations and every religious tradition for an epic freedom rally right here at Yoido Plaza. On that memorable day, he warned that the ideology of secular humanism could never bring peace in our nation. He said national unification could only take place when we realize we are all the children of God, with equal rights and responsibilities before heaven. When that happens, Korea will become a nation that could lead all the people of the world to peace. Through the Global Peace Festival, we

58 58 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL are gathering once again to awaken this nation to fulfill its providential calling. A New Interfaith Initiative Religious and spiritual leaders must lead this peace process. Instead of advocating their own narrow doctrinal perspective, they must help all people of faith to recognize the shared values and principles that come from our common heritage in one God. Through the Universal Peace Federation s interfaith gatherings in the Middle East, Christians, Muslims and Jews are rediscovering their common heritage in Abraham. They are realizing that they have more in common than the issues that currently divide them, and that they are brothers and sisters of faith longing equally for peace and reconciliation. We have discovered that relations between faith traditions are not about mere toleration of one another's prayers and rituals. A true interfaith experience is a celebration of the core principles that bind all Godaffirming people together as one family. All human beings are endowed with inalienable human rights that come from the creator. Without God, there can be no lasting peace. Therefore, our religious leaders must come together to lead this nation to return to its spiritual roots and recognize the sovereignty of God. In fact, this is the dream of all people of faith. Korea, with its unique cultural and spiritual traditions should be the leading nation in bringing this dream to fruition under the banner of One Family Under God. The Impact of GPF Creating a c u l t u r e o f s e r v i c e i s a n o t h e r c o r e g o a l o f t h e G l o b a l P e a c e Festival and a necessary step for peace. We are creating a new spirit of volunteerism and peaceful cooperation around the world, and changing nations with this vision of peace.

59 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 59 In Paraguay, more than 10,000 high school and college students spent weeks cleaning almost every park in the capital city of Asunción. At the Global Peace Festival in Washington, DC, we worked with the Boys and Girls Clubs and the Points of Light Institute as well as many local charities to feed the hungry and less fortunate in the America s capital. In Kenya more than 70,000 volunteers helped clean the polluted banks of the Nairobi River, known as the dirtiest river in Africa. I n M o n- golia, volunteers from Service for Peace and a dozen other agencies are working all over the country in the spirit of living for the sake of others. In Malaysia, college and high school students initiated the Power of 10 cents anti -poverty drive in support of the UN Millennium Development Goals.In Albania, thousands have joined the One Student One Tree tree planting project. Here in Korea, we are working to create sister relationships between North and South Korean cities through a grass roots service movement. The Mayor of Suwon has already committed to supporting this project, and I would encourage other cities to do the same so it can be expanded throughout the nation. In this way we can bring reconciliation and peace to our divided national family.taking this one step further, I d like to see Korea s faithbased and community partners joining with those of other countries to establish a Global Peace Corps. Imagine if young people from enemy nations worked side by side in service. Any misunderstandings and hatred that existed would fade away as they sweat, cry and laugh together with a common purpose and cause. As we gather here for the Global Peace Festival in Seoul Korea, we must revive our nation s proud traditions and expand this dream of peace throughout the peninsula, the region and the world through the universal vision of One Family under God.

60 60 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL This should be the clarion call of our age! As my father said in a recent Peace Message, the time has come: to tear down the man-made walls of race, culture, religion and country, and establish the peaceful, ideal world of God s cherished desire. The power of one human family united, can quell the turmoil of conflict throughout the world---from the strife and poverty of Africa, to the conflict in the Middle East, and the final remnant of the Cold War here on the Korean Peninsula. We stand at the threshold of a new Pacific Rim era, an age of lasting peace that is beginning here in Asia. It is no coincidence that today a Korean, Ban Ki-m o o n, s e r v e s a s t h e Secretary General of the United Nations. I believe that it is God s Will for Korea to work with the international community of nations and lead the peace process. As Koreans and citizens of the world, let us make a solemn pledge under the steadfast gaze of our ancestors to dream the greatest dream of all, and own the vision of One Family under God. Then, surely as light overcomes the darkness, an era of peace and prosperity will emerge from the depths of distrust and hatred both at home and in the far corners of our world. Together, we can dare to dream the greatest dream of all! Let us own the dream to create One Family under God. May God bless you and your family, and may God bless this great nation of Korea! Thank you very much!

61 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 61 Tokyo, Japan Ajinomoto Stadium November 15, 2008 Honored guests from around the world, Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome to the Global Peace Festival in beautiful Tokyo, Japan! Over the last few days, the eyes of the world have been focused on the results of the presidential elections in the United States, hoping to witness history in the making. Change, yes we can has become the slogan of not only a successful campaign but also a message of hope at a time of national and global crisis. Of course, change for the sake of change is not enough. The goal and direction of that change is far more important. In this time where hope and expectation are mixed with uncertainty, the Global Peace Festivals are providing new vision and direction for a fast-growing international movement of peace. The Impact of GPF At the Global Peace Festival in Paraguay, we helped smooth the first peaceful and democratic transfer of power between civilian governments in that South American nation. In Kenya, Prime Minister Raila Odinga said our efforts played an important role in ending violence after disputed elections had rival tribes at the brink of civil war. The President of Mongolia, the leader of the People s Revolutionary Party, told us that the vision of the Global Peace Festival was absolutely

62 62 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL needed for the spiritual life and development of his country as it recovered from post-election violence. In Mindanao, Philippines, where religious strife has been the most intense, we managed to bring Christians and Muslims together through the Global Peace Festival. The Governor of Mindanao said that this effort represented the best hope for reconciling long-standing conflicts. In Malaysia, a Muslim nation with several prominent minorities, the Honorable Mahathir Mohammed, Prime Minister for 22 years, said the leaders of Islam and all relig i ons must ma k e a ne w c ommi tme nt to w ork together. Tens of thousands came out to pledge that Malaysia would become the Southeast Asia capital for peace. Just a few days ago in Korea, where religious conflict has recently emerged as yet another obstacle to reunification, we challenged religious leaders to move beyond narrow sectarian thinking in order to bring the last divided nation on earth together as one. Without peace on the Korean peninsula, there can be no peace or lasting security for Japan. Japan must take a leading role in bringing peace to Northeast Asia and all the nations of the Pacific Rim. The need for a new vision T o a r t i c u l a t e a m e a n i n g f u l v i s i o n f o r p e a c e, w e n e e d t o a d m i t t h a t w e have to be bold and break new ground if we are to go beyond the failures of our past. W e o n l y n e e d t o l o o k b a c k t o t h e l a s t c e n t u r y t o r e c o g n i z e t h e f u t i l i t y of tackling the world s problems through the same old military, economic, political and diplomatic solutions.

63 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 63 Dealing with only the symptoms of global crisis and ignoring the root cause just will not work. Conflict begins when we fail to follow the dictates of our conscience and fail to recognize our common heritage in God. That is why even the grand vision behind the League of Nations, and later the United Nations was unable to prevent the 20th century from being the bloodiest era in human history. When we consider the number of wars and conflicts that plague humanity, it is clear that the world needs a new vision for the 21st Century. Unlike the secular thinking of our past, this should be a spiritual vision, rooted in time-enduring values. That vision is One Family under God! The one who has taken on the mantle to champion this vision around the world is none other than my father, the Reverend Dr. Sun Myung Moon. He has devoted his entire life and resources to the fulfillment of that dream. To my father, the dream of building One Family under God is not the dream of just one man, one woman, or one family but the dream that belongs to all humanity and, most of all, to God. The True Family Model for Peace Why is the family the cornerstone of peace? First and foremost, the family is universal. Regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality and religion we are all members of families. Secondly, the family represents the most intimate of human relations h i p s. W e u s e f a m i l i a l t e r m s t o d escribe the closeness of any relationship s a y i n g, t h a t p e r s o n i s l i k e m y f a t h e r, l i k e m y m o t h e r, m y b r o t h e r, m y s i s- ter, my son and like my daughter.

64 64 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL The family is the school of love where we can learn to love humanity in its richness and diversity. Filial piety, respect for elders and the extended family as well as the society has been one of the most notable and beautiful traditions of Japan. Today however, there are many worrying trends in Japanese society. Young people have been involved in all kinds of bizarre crimes that have been sensationalized even in the international media. The tragic breakdown of so many Japanese families is another profound challenge. Marriage and family are the fundamental building blocks of any society, but Japan, like Korea and the United States, is in danger of losing her most valuable institutions and traditions. Interfaith efforts for Peace Many great minds agree that the greatest threat to global peace and development today is religious narrow-mindedness. This week at the United Nations, UN Secretary-General Ban Kimoon, President George Bush and other international leaders are meeting in high-level session to discuss the urgency of a new interfaith effort to create peace. Promoting genuine interfaith understanding is an important goal of the Global Peace Festival. Through the Universal Peace Federation s work in the Middle East, Christians, Muslims and Jews are rediscovering their common heritage in Abraham. They are realizing that they have more in common than the issues that currently divide them, and are brothers and sisters of faith longing equally for peace and reconciliation. We have discovered that relations between faith traditions are not about mere toleration of one another's prayers and rituals. A true interfaith experience is a celebration of the core principles that bind all people together as one family.

65 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 65 Before we call ourselves Christian, Buddhist or Shinto, or see ourselves as black, white, or yellow, or identify ourselves as Japanese, Korean, American, we are the sons and daughters of God and members of his eternal family. Maintaining harmonious and productive relationships between the many different races, religions and creeds will be one of the most significant challenges facing all nations in the Pacific Rim Era. There are already more than two million foreign residents living in Japan, and the number is growing all time. Japan must now become a leader in developing a society of peaceful coexistence and cooperation. The best way to do that is through creating One Family Under God. Japan and the Culture of Service Japan is already one of the most generous nations on earth in terms of foreign aid. For example, at the recent TICAD 4 conference in Yokohama, Japan again affirmed its commitment to the long term development of Africa. Moreover, Japan is without doubt a world leader in economics, technology and science. This year Japanese scientists won no less than four Nobel prizes. However, to fulfill its true potential and destiny as a nation that can help usher in a new world of peace, Japan must now develop its moral and spiritual leadership to the same degree. Building a culture of service is another core goal of the Global Peace Festival and a vital step for peace. We are creating a new spirit of volunteerism and peaceful cooperation around the world, and changing nations with the exciting vision of living for the sake of others. In Paraguay, more than 10,000 high school and college students spent weeks cleaning almost every park in the capital city of Asunción.

66 66 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL At the Global Peace Festival in Washington, DC, we worked to feed the hungry and less fortunate in America s capital. In Kenya more than 70,000 volunteers helped clean the polluted banks of the Nairobi River, known as the dirtiest river in Africa. In Mongolia, volunteers from Service for Peace and a dozen other agencies are working all over the country in the spirit of living for the sake of others. In Malaysia, high school and college students started the Power of 10 cents anti -poverty drive in support of the UN Millennium Development Goals. In Albania, thousands have joined the One Student One Tree project to reverse decades of environmental neglect. In Korea, we are working to create sister relationships between North and South Korean cities through a grass roots service movement. In Japan, we have been working on a million family volunteer campaign to support the Love Nature clean up project. We are collecting bottle caps to pay for inoculations for children in other nations. To everyone who has joined us, I d like to say a heartfelt Thank You! Looking to the future, I d like to see Japan s community and volunteer partners joining with those of other countries to establish a Global Peace Corps. Imagine if young people from enemy nations worked side by side in service. Any initial misunderstandi n g s a n d h a t r e d w o u l d f a d e a w a y a s t h e y sweat, cry and laugh together with a common purpose and cause. Call to Action As we gather here for the Global Peace Festival in Japan, we must revive this nation s proud traditions and expand her dreams of peace onto a global stage through the universal vision of One Family under God.

67 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 67 This should be the clarion call of our age! As my father said in a recent Peace Message, the time has come: to tear down the man-made walls of race, culture, religion and country, and establish the peaceful, ideal world of God s cherished desire. T h e p o w e r o f o n e h u m a n f a m i l y u n i t e d c a n q u e l l t h e t u r m o i l o f c o n- flict throughout the world. It can end the strife and poverty of Africa, the conflict in the Middle East, and the final remnant of the Cold War on the Korean Peninsula. As the world enters a new Pacific Rim Era, Japan must stand up as a champion of the dream of peace.under the steadfast gaze of our ancestors, let us make a solemn pledge to dream the biggest dream of all, to lead the world to peace through the vision of One Family under God. Then, as surely as light overcomes the darkness, an era of peace and prosperity will emerge from the depths of distrust and hatred both here in Japan and in the far corners of our world. Together, we can dare to dream the greatest dream of all! Let us own the dream to create One Family under God. May God bless you and your family, and may God bless this great nation of Japan! Thank you very much!.

68 68 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL London,England London ExCel Center November 22, 2008 Honored guests from around the world, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the Global Peace Festival in Europe, celebrated here today in beautiful London, England! It is a privilege to be here at this exciting time when we all have new hope for peace. Over the past two to three weeks, the eyes of the world have been focused on the results and aftermath of the presidential elections in the United States, hoping to witness the beginning of a new era and new policies that can bring about peace and prosperity for all people. Change, yes we can has become the slogan of not only a successful c a m p a i g n b u t a l s o a m e s s a g e of hope at a time of national and global crisis. Of course, change for the sake of change is not enough. The goal and direction of that change is far more important. The Global Peace Festival is providing a new direction and opportunities for a growing international grassroots peace movement. The need for a new vision To articulate a meaningful vision for peace, we have to be bold and break new ground if we are to go beyond the failures of the past. W e o n l y n e e d t o l o o k b a c k a t t h e l a s t c e n t u r y t o r e c o g n i z e the futility of trying to tackle the world s problems through the same old military, economic, political and diplomatic solutions.

69 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 69 Of course, in Europe, much progress has indeed been made. War between Western European nations is today unthinkable. The abolition of most national border controls, the establishment of European courts and other institutions, and the creation of a single currency are important developments. However, many are concerned that this movement toward unity is being accomplished at an unacceptable price, and that the cultural and spiritual traditions that have defined Europe for hundreds of years are being ignored or trampled in the name of progress. Without a spiritual foundation there cannot be real peace, universal human rights, or lasting union. That is why I believe that the vision of One Family Under God is so important for this age. Each member of the family of nations has a unique contribution to make for peace. This ideal and vision goes all the way back to the very beginning of human history. Just as we have big aspirations and hopes for our children, God also great expectations for the human family. God wanted His children to create a family of true love, life and lineage. Yet, this dream is unfulfilled and God has waits in sorrow for someone to realize His dream. My father, Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon, has devoted his entire life to the fulfillment that ideal. To my father, the dream of building One Family under God is not just the dream of one man, one woman or one family but the dream of all humanity and, most of all, the dream of God. The True Family Model for Peace Why is the family the cornerstone of peace? First and foremost, the family is universal. Regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality and religion we are all members of families.

70 70 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL Secondly, the family represents the most intimate of human relations h i p s. W e u s e f a m i l i a l t e r m s t o d escribe the closeness of any relationship s a y i n g, t h a t p e r s o n i s l i k e m y f a t h e r, l i k e m y m o t h e r, m y b r o t h e r, m y s i s- ter, my son and like my daughter. Therefore, the family should be the school of love where we learn to love all humanity in its richness and diversity. Marriage and family are the fundamental building blocks of any society, but Britain, like the United States and much of Europe is in danger of losing her most valuable institutions and traditions. Divorce and family breakdown are at an all time high. The terms husband and wife have been replaced by the non-committal partner. Meanwhile, sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise, even among the youngest teenagers. An increasing number of youth are joining gangs in search of the love and support they cannot find at home. Gang violence is the inevitable result, with the rise of violent attacks on young people especially knife crimes being reported even in the international media. The social and economic cost of the breakdown of the family is staggering. Young people who cannot find love in the family do badly at school, are most susceptible to drugs, and the most likely to enter destructive relationships. The answers to all these problems do not lie in hiring more social workers, training more police or buildi n g m o r e p r i s o n s. W e m u s t m a k e i t o u r p r i o r i t y t o s u p p o r t a n d i n v e s t i n e a c h a n d e v e r y f a m i l y. W e w i l l c r e a t e One Family Under God, one family at a time. A New Interfaith Effort for Peace Another challenge facing this country is to integrate Britain s many religious and cultural traditions.

71 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 71 It is encouraging that so many religions and faiths have found a home here on this island. Yet frequent tensions remain. The threat of terrorism is in the back of all our minds, and all faith communities are facing the same difficult challenges with their youth. Just last week at the United Nations, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki - moon, President George Bush and other international leaders met to discuss the urgency of a new interfaith effort to create peace. The task of promoting interfaith understanding is an urgent priority for our world and an important goal of the Global Peace Festival. The Universal Peace Federation is helping Christians, Muslims and Jews in the Middle East to rediscover their common heritage in Abraham. Peaceful relations between faith traditions are not only about tolerating one another's prayers and rituals. A true interfaith experience is a celebration of the core principles that bind all people together as one family. We must learn from each other s faith, not just about each other s faith. Before we call ourselves Christian, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu or Jew, or see ourselves as black, white, or Asian, or identify ourselves as British, European or American, we are all the sons and daughters of God and members of his eternal family. Britain and the Culture of Service One of the best ways to move towards interfaith harmony is by working together in service for a common good. Building a culture of service is another core goal of the Global Peace Festival and a vital step for peace. There is something deeply spiritual in serving others. It is not something we should do for only a day, a month or even a year. It has to become a way of life. When living for the sake of others becomes a habit, we come to see the true value God places on all human beings.

72 72 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL We are promoting a spirit of volunteerism and peaceful cooperation around the world. Communities and nations can be transformed through practicing the vision and the habit of living for the sake of others. I d like to see Britain, and indeed all European nations build on these efforts and expand this grassroots movement to spread a culture of service. Taking this one step further, I d like to see Europe s community and volunteer partners joining with those of the United States and other countries to establish a Global Peace Corps. Imagine young people from enemy nations working side by side in service. Any initial misunderstandings and suspicions would fade away as they sweat, cry and laugh together with a common purpose and cause. Call to Action As we celebrate the Global Peace Festival in London, we must renew the culture and traditions of Europe and expand her dreams of peace onto a global stage through the universal vision of One Family under God. This should be the clarion call of our age! As my father said in a recent Peace Message, the time has come: to tear down the man-made walls of race, culture, religion and country, and establish the peaceful, ideal world of God s cherished desire. T h e p o w e r o f o n e h u m a n f a m i l y u n i t e d c a n q u e l l t h e t u r m o i l o f c o n- flict throughout the world. It can end the strife and poverty of A f r i c a, t h e conflict in the Middle East, and the final remnant of the Cold War on the Korean Peninsula.

73 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 73 As citizens of Europe and the world, let us make a solemn pledge to dream the greatest dream of all, to lead the world to peace at last through the vision of One Family under God. Then, as surely as light overcomes the darkness, an era of peace and prosperity will emerge from the depths of distrust and hatred, in Britain, in Europe and in the far corners of our world. Together, we can dare to dream the greatest dream of all! Let us own the dream to create One Family under God. May God bless you and your family, and may God bless this great nation of Great Britain and all of Europe! Thank you very much!.

74 74 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL Brasilia, Brazil Nelson Nilson Stadium December 7th, 2008 Bishop Ferreira, Reverend Robert Schuller, and honored guests and dignitaries from Brazil and around the world, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Global Peace Festival in beautiful Brasilia, Brazil! B e f o r e I b e g i n, I w a n t t o t a k e a m o m e n t to thank my dear friend, Bishop Manoel Ferreira, for his tireless efforts to make this Festival in Brasilia a reality. I know that many others have prayed and worked hard to prepare for this day, and I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to all of you. Thank you, and may God continue to bless your efforts for global peace! Recently the eyes of the world have been on the great changes taking place in the United States. With Barack Obama s ascendency to the highest office of the world s only remaining superpower, people around the world are waiting in anticipation, hoping to witness the beginning of a new era of peace, prosperity and cooperation. Change, yes we can has become the slogan of not only a successful campaign but also a message of hope at a time of national and global crisis. Although hope is absolutely necessary at times of uncertainty, change for the sake of change is not enough. The goal and direction of that change is far more important. As we gather here in Brasilia, the capit a l o f t h is great nation of Brazil, I want to share with you a vision of change that is sweeping across our globe and especially throughout this hemisphere of the Americas.

75 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 75 It is a spiritual vision rooted in time-enduring principles, values and aspirations, and it is inspiring a great peace movement throughout the world. That unifying vision is One Family under God! We have already held Global Peace Festivals in more than twenty countries around the world, and many more are planned for 2009.I believe that the universal appeal of the vision of One Family under God testifies to the providential time in which we live. This July, the Global Peace Festival held in Paraguay helped the first peaceful, democratic transfer of power between civilian governments in that South American nation and planted the dream of creating a larger Latin American Union under the vision of One Family under God. In Kenya, Prime Minister Raila Odinga acknowledged that the principles he had learned by attending our peace education seminars had helped him and other parliamentarians make the necessary steps to end the tribal violence plaguing so many nations of Africa, especially following last year s presidential elections. The President of Mongolia, a former Communist, recognized that the vision of creating One Family Under God will be an important step in establishing the spiritual and moral life of his nation and uniting his people in the wake of post-election violence. At the Global Peace Festival in Malaysia, a predominately Muslim nation, the Honorable Mahathir Mohammed, Prime Minister for 22 years, warned that religious leaders, especially within his own faith of Islam, must not politicize religion for their own purposes. He said they must go back to the original teachings of the founders of their traditions, who all sought to create the brotherhood of man. In the Republic of Korea, religious conflict has recently emerged as yet another obstacle to reunification. The Global Peace Festival challenged religious and political leaders at the National Assembly to go beyond their narrow sectarian thinking and unite under the universal plat-

76 76 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL form of One Family under God, so that a united Korea will hold to values and principles based upon the sovereignty of God. The Global Peace Festival has also emphasized the important mission of the entire American hemisphere. In Washington DC and four other US cities, we articulated the need to expand the original American Dream of creating One Nation under God to a more universal dream of creating One Family under God, going beyond race, nationality and creed. More than thirty thousand religious leaders from all faith traditions gathered to celebrate and commit to this vision and create a new global, inter-faith peace initiative. The need for a new vision for the Hemisphere of the Americas Today, here in Brasilia, the capital of the largest nation in Latin America, we are being called to make history. We must see ourselves as God sees us, a people anointed and appointed by God with a mission that extends throughout all the Americas. Although all the nations of this hemisphere have their unique histori e s, the c ommon l i nk we a l l sha re i s our C hri sti a n he ri ta g e. I be li e v e i t i s fair to say that God has a special providential plan for this continent and the Christian spirit it has nurtured. Unlike the sectarian practices of European Christianity, the people who came to the Americas both North and South have always aspired to a more universal vision of Christianity, a vision that can lead the entire world back to God. At the Global Peace Festival in Washington DC, I explained that the United States was created and raised by God to fulfill a biblical promise, first made in the book of the Prophet Isaiah.

77 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 77 That promise was to build a New Israel where a l l o f G o d s c h i l d r e n, from every race, nation and religion could come and worship Him in accordance to their conscience. In the same way, God is hoping that Brazil, and all the nations of South America will play a leading role in taking the vision of One Family Under God beyond the Americas and throughout the world. The Dream of God Just as we have big aspirations and hopes for our children, so too did God have great expectations for humanity. God wanted his children to e s t a b l i s h a t r u e f a m i l y w h i c h c ould be the school of true love, true life and true lineage. It would have been God s family, where he could dwell as the eternal true parent of all mankind. Tragically, humanity s first ancestors Adam and Eve fell away from this ideal, and this dream was not realized. Nevertheless, God has not abandoned mankind. He has worked patiently throughout human history, waiting in agony and lamentation for someone to realize His unfilled dream. Two thousand years ago, the young son of a carpenter changed the world in which he lived.jesus was born into the lineage of Israel, the chosen people maintained a sacred covenant with God at a time when most ancient civilizations believed in a pantheon of gods. As a result, they felt that they alone had a special place in God s providence. Breaking with the established traditions of his own people, Jesus referred to God as his Father and all humanity as his brothers and sisters. He gave a message of true selfless love, and the promise of universal salvation in creating the one family of God. Jesus earnestly hoped that the nation of Israel and the people of his faith could unite with him and help him fulfill the providential mission: to create One Family Under God.

78 78 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL Jesus came to pour new wine into new wineskins. But the vessels prepared by God for the new wine abandoned him and his mission. Tragically, instead of being glorified, Jesus was not accepted and he had to go the way of the cross. Yet the message and the vision that he championed 2,000 years ago planted the seeds for global Christianity and opened the door to the modern era. The culmination of Jesus universal mission took root here in the Americas, giving rise to a Christian hemisphere true to the creed that has transformed the world. I believe that the birth of the United States of America was an event which defined the universal spirit of Christianity and thus became an important milestone in the providence of God. The Declaration of Independence represented a new covenant that recognized God s sovereignty as the basis of inalienable rights. Thus it set the stage for our modern understanding of human rights and the ideals of religious freedom. In essence, the American dream was never just a political or an economic dream. It is the dream of building One Nation under God. Now, the time has come to take that vision beyond the confines of one nation Under God, and expand it to the Christian hemisphere of the Americas and fulfill the original mission of Jesus to create One Family under God. The one who has taken on the mantle to realize that dream in our modern era is none other than my father, the Reverend Dr. Sun Myung Moon. After receiving a revelation on a cold Easter Sunday seventy three years ago, he has devoted his entire life, resources and wealth to the fulfillment of that dream. My father always believed that God has in the past and is currently working through all religions. However, he has always emphasized that Christianity, moved by the Holy Spirit has a central role to play in realizing the dream of One Family Under God.

79 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 79 To my father, this dream is not just the dream of just one man, one woman, one family or one religion, but the dream of all humanity and, most of all, the dream of God. The True Family Model for Peace Why One Family under God? The family is the cornerstone of peace. First, it is universal. Regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality and religion we are all members of families. Secondly, the family represents the most intimate of human relations h i p s. W e u s e f a m i l i a l t e r m s t o d escribe the closeness of any relationship s a y i n g, t h a t p e r s o n i s l i k e m y f a t h e r, l i k e m y m o t h e r, m y b r o t h e r, m y s i s- ter, my son and like my daughter. Therefore, the family should be the school of love where we learn to love all humanity in its richness and diversity. Marriage and family are the fundamental building blocks of any society, but Brazil, like the United States and all other nations is in danger of losing this most valuable tradition. Divorce and family breakdown are at an all time high. Every nation faces major challenges with its youth. The social and economic cost of the breakdown of the family is staggering. The healing of the family is a spiritual task. We must make it our priority to bring God back into every family. When God is dwelling in our families, all our other problems will fade away. We will create One Family Under God, one family at a time! A New Interfaith Effort for Peace Another urgent challenge facing Brazil is to integrate her many religious and cultural traditions. Peace among faith traditions are not about only tolerating one another's prayers and rituals. A true interfaith experience is a celebration of the core principles that bind all people together as one family.the task of promoting true inter-

80 80 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL faith understanding is an urgent priority for our world and an important goal of the Global Peace Festivals. In the Middle East, for example, the Universal Peace Federation is helping Christians, Muslims and Jews to rediscover their common heritage in Abraham. Before we call ourselves Christian or Muslim, Catholic or Pentecostal, Buddhist or Hindu; before we see ourselves as black, white, or yellow, or identify ourselves as Brazilian, or American, we are all the sons and daughters of God and members of his eternal family. Brazil and the Culture of Service Building a culture of service is another core goal of the Global Peace Festival and a vital step for peace. There is something deeply spiritual in se rv i ng othe rs. I t i s not so mething we should do for only a day, a month or even a year. It has to become a way of life. When living for the sake of others becomes a habit, we come to see the true value God places on all human beings. We are promoting a spirit of volunteerism and peaceful cooperation around the world. Communities and nations are being transformed through living for the sake of others. I d like to see Brazil, and all South American nations build on these efforts and create a grassroots movement that will spread a worldwide culture of service. Taking this one step further, I d like to see Brazil s volunteer partners joining with those of the United States, Latin America and other nations to establish a Global Peace Corps. Imagine young people from enemy nations and from different faiths working side by side in serviceany initial misunderstandings and suspicions would fade away as they sweat, cry and laugh together with a common purpose and cause.

81 Call to Action ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 81 As we celebrate the Global Peace Festival here in Brasilia, we must i n i t i a t e a n e w G r e a t A w a k e n i n g o f t h e e n t i r e hemisphere, rooted in the true universal spirit of Christianity engendered by Jesus 2000 years ago.only by doing this can we realize and fulfill Jesus true providential mission of creating One Family under God. The dream of One Family Under God will be the clarion call of our age! As my father said in a recent Peace Message, the time has come: to tear down the man-made walls of race, culture, religion and country, and establish the peaceful, ideal world of God s cherished desire. The power of one human family united with the Will of God can quell the turmoil of conflict throughout the world. It can end the strife and poverty of Africa, the conflict in the Middle East, and the final remnant of the Cold War on the Korean Peninsula. As citizens of Brazil, the Americas and the world, let us make a solemn pledge to lead the world to peace through the vision of One Family under God. This is a time when God is pouring out His Holy Spirit upon the world. With God s grace, as surely as light overcomes the darkness, an era of peace and prosperity will emerge from the depths of distrust and hatred. Together, let us dare to dream the greatest dream of all! Let us own the dream to create One Family under God. May God bless you and your family, and may God bless this great nation of Brazil! Thank you very much!

82 82 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL Manila, Philippines Rizal Park and Quirino Grandstand December 13th, 2008 Distinguished guests from around the world, dear friends, family, ladies and gentlemen: Welcome to the Global Peace Festival in beautiful Manila, Philippines! It is a privilege and an honor to be back here in Manila, exactly one year and one day after the Global Peace Festival 2007 began a whirlwind year of GPF successes all over the world. We have come full circle, both figuratively and literally, as we meet once again at the Quirino Grandstand to celebrate the culminating event of the Global Peace Festival series in Before I begin, I would like to take a moment to thank my dear friend, Jose de Venecia Jr. for his great efforts throughout the world as an international Ambassador for the Global Peace Festival. I d like to thank Chairman Emilio Yap of the Manila Bulletin; Undersecretary Josephine Dominguez from the Office of the President; and Bishop Pedro Maglaya of the Interreligious Federation for World Peace for their tireless efforts to make this Festival in Manila a success. I d also like to acknowledge the Office of the Presidential Advisor on the Peace Process, the Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education, the Philippine Information Agency; the Armed Forces and the Police and all the many other institutions that have given the Global Peace Festival their generous support. I know that thousands of other volunteers have prayed and worked hard to prepare for this day, and I want thank all of you. May God continue to bless your efforts for peace!

83 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 83 Recently the eyes of the world have been on the great changes taking place in the United States. With Barack Obama s ascendency to the highest office of the world s only remaining superpower, people around the world are anticipating the beginning of a new era of peace, prosperity and cooperation. Change, yes we can has become the slogan of not only a successful campaign but also a message of hope at a time of national and global crisis. Although hope is absolutely necessary at times of uncertainty, change for the sake of change is never enough. The goal and direction of that change is far more important. As we gather here in Manila, the capital of this great nation of the Philippines, I want to share with you a vision of change that is sweeping across our globe, especially throughout Asia and the Pan-Pacific Rim. It is a spiritual vision rooted in time-enduring principles, values and aspirations, and it is inspiring a great peace movement throughout the world. That unifying vision is One Family under God! We have already held Global Peace Festivals in more than twenty countries around the world, and many more are planned for As a man of faith, I believe that the universal appeal of the vision to create One Family under God testifies to the providential age in which we live. I am happy to report that with God s grace we have surpassed all of our expectations. To recognize just some of our accomplishments, the Global Peace Festival held in Paraguay helped the first peaceful, democratic transfer of power between civilian governments in that South American nation, and planted the dream of creating a larger Latin American Union under the vision of One Family under God.

84 84 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL In Kenya, Prime Minister Raila Odinga acknowledged that the principles he had learned by attending our peace conferences helped him and other parliamentarians make the necessary step to end the tribal violence plaguing his nation, especially after last year s contested presidential elections. The President of Mongolia, the leader of the People s Revolutionary Party, told me that the vision of creating One Family under God was essential in establishing the spiritual and moral life of his nation and uniting his people in the wake of post-election violence. At the Global Peace Festival in Malaysia, a predominately Muslim nation, the Honorable Mahathir Mohammed, Prime Minister for 22 years, warned that religious leaders, especially within his own faith of Islam, must not politicize religion for their own purposes. Instead, they should go back to the original teachings of their traditions, which advocated peace and the need to create the brotherhood of man. In the Republic of Korea, where religious conflict has recently emerged as yet another obstacle, the Global Peace Festival challenged religious and political leaders to go beyond their narrow sectarian thinking and unite under the universal platform of One Family under God so that a united Korea will hold to God- centered values and principles, thus safeguarding religious freedoms and human rights upon reunification. The Global Peace Festival has also emphasized the important mission of the entire American hemisphere, especially in light of the Pan- Pacific Rim era. In Washington DC and four other US cities, we articulated the need to expand the original American Dream of creating One Nation under God to a more universal dream of creating One Family under God, beyond race, nationality and creed.

85 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 85 At each festival, religious leaders numbering in the tens of thousands from all faith traditions gathered to celebrate and commit to this vision to create a new global, inter-faith peace initiative. Just six days ago in Brasilia, the capital of the largest nation in Latin America, the Global Peace Festival challenged Christian leaders in both North and South America to initiate a hemispheric Great Awakening rooted in the universal vision of One Family under God. The key sponsor of this festival was the Assemblies of God, the largest Pentecostal fellowship in the world, in conjunction with other major denominations and faith traditions committed to the true universal spirit of the Christian message. The Dream of God Ladies and gentlemen, just as we have big aspirations and hopes for our children, so too did God have great expectations for humanity. God wanted his children to establish a true family which could be the school of true love, true life and true lineage. It would have been God s family, where he could dwell as the eternal true parent of all mankind. Tragically, humanity s first ancestors Adam and Eve fell away from this ideal, and this dream was not realized. Nevertheless, God has not abandoned mankind. He has worked patiently throughout human history, waiting in agony and lamentation for someone to realize His unfilled dream. Two thousand years ago, the young son of a carpenter changed the world in which he lived. Jesus was born into the lineage of Israel. As a Jew, he was born into an exclusive religious and cultural tradition which maintained a sacred covenant with God at a time when most ancient civilizations believed in a pantheon of gods. As a result, they felt that they alone had a special place in God s providence.

86 86 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL Breaking with the established traditions of his own people, Jesus referred to God as his Father and all humanity as his brothers and sisters. He gave a message of a true, selfless love, spiritual accountability and the promise of universal salvation, beyond the chosen people to the entire human family. Jesus earnestly hoped that the nation of Israel and the leaders of Judaism could unite with him and help him fulfill God s dream to create One Family under God. Jesus came to pour new wine into what he hoped would be new wineskins. But the vessels prepared by God to receive the new wine abandoned him and his mission. Yet the message and the vision that he championed 2,000 years ago planted the seeds for global Christianity and opened the door to the modern era, as this Christian spirit crossed the Atlantic and found its way to the American hemisphere. Christianity and the modern Era I believe that the birth of the United States of America was an event which defined the universal spirit of Jesus message and set the tone of Christianity in the Americas. Thus, it became an important milestone in the providence of God. The Declaration of Independence represented a new covenant with God that recognized His sovereignty as the basis of inalienable rights, setting the stage for our modern understanding of human rights and the ideals of religious freedom. Built upon the principles and values of establishing a state under the sovereignty of God, the American dream was never just a political or an economic dream. It was the dream of building One Nation under God. Now, the time has come to take that dream beyond the confines of One Nation under God to the more universal vision of One Family under God, transcending nationality and creed. In this way we can ful-

87 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 87 fill the original mission of Jesus to create the family of God and usher in an age of everlasting peace and prosperity. The one who has taken on the mantle to realize that dream in our modern era is none other than my father, the Reverend Dr. Sun Myung Moon. After receiving a revelation on a cold Easter Sunday seventy three years ago, he devoted his entire life and resources to the fulfillment of that dream. My father has always believed that God inspired the formation all religions and has worked through them to lead humanity towards the fulfillment of that dream. As a result, all faiths invoke universal principles, values and aspirations that transcend their particular religious and cultural traditions, having the possibility to come together on common ground. The vision to create One Family under God is not the dream of just one man, one woman, one family or one religion, but the dream of all humanity and, most of all, the dream of God. The Asia Pacific Era. Ladies and gentlemen, in order to be real peacemakers, we must see ourselves as God sees us, a people anointed and appointed by God with a mission that extends throughout this nation of the Philippines, Asia and the entire Pacific Rim Although all of Asia is deeply spiritual, there are only two nations that share a Christian heritage. Those two nations are Korea and the Philippines. Like Christianity in the Americas, Korea, to the north, is predominantly Protestant and the Philippines, to the south, is mostly Catholic. I believe it is fair to say that God has a special providential plan for these two nations and the Christian spirit they have nurtured, especially during this era of the Pan-Pacific Rim.

88 88 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL Imagine if the rising powers of Asia to the west and the American hemisphere to the east could unite upon the Pacific Rim rooted in Jesus universal spirit and mission to create One Family under God. Korea and the Philippines, representing the north and the south could be leading nations in ushering an age of everlasting peace. Both Korea and the Philippines have historically had very close relationships with the United States. Having a common spiritual heritage, all three nations, I believe, have an important role to play in leading the entire world back to God s dream for humanity. At the Global Peace Festival in Washington DC, I explained that the United States was created and raised by God to fulfill a biblical promise, first made in the book of Isaiah. That promise was to build a Second Israel where all of God s children, from every race, nation and religion could come and worship Him in accordance to their conscience. In the same way, God is hoping that the island nation of the Philippines and the peninsula nation of Korea can unite together and play a leading role in taking the vision of One Family under God throughout Asia and the world. The True Family Model for Peace Why One Family under God? The family is the cornerstone of peace. First, it is universal. Regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality and religion we are all members of families. Secondly, the family represents the most intimate of human relationships. We use familial terms to describe the closeness of any relationship saying, that person is like my father, like my mother, my brother, my sister, my son and like my daughter. Therefore, the family should be the school of love where we learn to love all humanity in its richness and diversity.

89 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 89 Marriage and family are the fundamental building blocks of any society, but the Philippines, like the United States and all other nations is in danger of losing this most valuable tradition. Divorce and family breakdown are at an all time high. Every nation faces major challenges with its youth. The social and economic cost of the breakdown of the family is staggering. The healing of the family is a spiritual task. We must make it our priority to bring God back into every family. When God is the center of our families, all our other problems will fade away. Let us create One Family under God, one family at a time! A New Interfaith Effort for Peace Another urgent challenge facing the Philippines is to integrate her many religious and cultural traditions. You know firsthand that religious conflict is an ever present threat to the stability and security of this nation, the region and the world. Peace among faith traditions cannot come about through mere dialogue or through tolerating one another's prayers and rituals. A true interfaith experience is a celebration of the core principles, values, and aspirations that bind all people together as one family. The task of promoting true interfaith understanding is an urgent priority for our world and an important goal of the Global Peace Festivals. Before we call ourselves Christian or Muslim, Catholic or Pentecostal, Buddhist or Hindu; and before we see ourselves as black, white, or yellow, or identify ourselves as American, Korean, or Philippino, we are all the sons and daughters of God and members of his eternal family. The Culture of Service Building a culture of service is another core goal of the Global Peace Festival and a vital step for peace. There is something deeply spiritual in serving others. It is not something we should do for only a

90 90 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL day, a month or even a year. It has to become a way of life. When living for the sake of others becomes a habit, we come to see the true value God places on all human beings. We are promoting a spirit of volunteerism and peaceful cooperation around the world. Communities and nations are being transformed through our efforts to build a culture of service rooted in the peace philosophy of living for the sake of others. I d like to see the Philippines, and all Asian nations build on these efforts and create a grassroots movement that will spread into a global culture of serving others. Taking this one step further, I d like to see the Philippines volunteer partners joining with those of the United States, Japan, Korea and other nations to establish a Global Peace Corps. Imagine young people from enemy nations and from different faiths working side by side in service! Any initial misunderstandings and suspicions would fade away as they sweat, cry and laugh together with a common purpose and cause. Call to Action As we celebrate the Global Peace Festival here in Manila, we must initiate a worldwide Great Awakening, rooted in the true universal spirit of all religions. The dream of One Family under God will be the clarion call of our age! As my father said in a recent Peace Message, the time has come: to tear down the man-made walls of race, culture, religion and country, and establish the peaceful, ideal world of God s cherished desire. The power of one human family united with the Will of God can quell the turmoil of conflict throughout the world. It can end the strife and poverty of Africa, the conflict in the Middle East, and the final remnant of the Cold War on the Korean Peninsula.

91 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 91 As citizens of the Philippines, the Americas and the world, let us make a solemn pledge, under the steadfast gaze of our ancestors, to lead the world to peace through the vision of One Family under God. The Global Peace Convention With this in mind, I would like to share with you some exciting news. Next year we will hold the first ever World Convention of the Global Peace Festival. We will gather representatives from every city and nation where the GPF was held in 2008 and 2009 for a week of celebration, networking, conferences and planning. Of course, there has been keen interest from around the world from many cities that want to host this exciting and prestigious convention. London, Washington, Tokyo and Seoul were all strong candidates. But in the end, I am pleased to announce to you this evening that this Global Peace Festival World Convention will be held.. right here in Manila! This is a time when God is pouring out His Holy Spirit upon the world. With God s grace, as surely as light overcomes the darkness, an era of peace and prosperity will emerge from the depths of distrust and hatred. Together, let us dare to dream the greatest dream of all! Let us own the dream to create One Family under God. May God bless you and your family, and may God bless this great nation of the Philippines! Thank you very much!

92 92 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL POSSIBLE PHOTO ESSAY PHOTOS NOT UPDATED

93 On December 2, UPF organized a forum to celebrate the 60th Anniversary One of the important features of the event was a full session dedicated to hearing the voices of young people of different faiths expressing their hopes for the UN.

94 94 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL UPF Co-Chair Dr. Hyun Jin Moon speaks at the United Nations, with Lively intervention from the floor helped keep proceedings moving.

95 ONE FAMILY UNDER GOD 95 At the Global Peace Festival in London, faith leaders prepare for the Mixing of the Waters Interfaith Ceremony. Each faith pours water representing its traditions, scriptures, lives of the founders and other spiritual treasures into a common vessel symbolizing unity..

96 96 GLOBAL PEACE FESTIVAL During the Global Peace Festival in Ottawa, Canada, delegates visited the Richard Burton (Canadian Human Rights Commission) offers a tribute to